[MelT]

HGM: All objects most certainly do give off light; however it's not always in the visible spectrum (to people). However you can see people in both the infrared and other spectrum of light; even in a completely vacuum locked room.END

All objects reflect light, they don't give it off. Radiation, infra-red or any other part of the spectrum that we can't see in is not the visible light that Gopher is talking about. There are certainly no photons of visible light inside a box with no light source. There might be heat, but that's not visible light.

HGM: Every electromagnetically charged particle gives off light, just because we don't necessarily have the equipment to measure it, or it isn't in the spectrum that we can measure, doesn't mean that it isn't giving off 'light'.END

VISIBLE light, as in the OP, causing planets to shine in conjunction with reflected light. Just isn't true.

HGM: Now, if you reason with me, wouldn't a planetary body also give off light in various spectrum's... Some of which are in the visible spectrum of light." END

No, this isn't what the OP was about. Gopher said that all planets shine because they inherently emit light, which is not the case. As above all objects give off radiation, and if something were hot enough on part of planet then yes, of course we'd see it glow, but not shine like stars.

HGM:The earth and all planets contain a vast amount of static charge. Would it not stand to reason that this static charge; especisally when energized by the charge of the Sun, would give off a vast amount of light; just like a plasma lamp?END

No, doesn't happen. If that were the case then we'd actually see this light emanating from the earth at night around us. Turn off the Suns and you'd see bugger all of the planets with the naked eye, no plasma effect. Plenty to see if you want to use a wealth of scientific instruments, but that isn't what Gopher said.

And as you say, the 'medium' that photons are in bends with light, which again proves that Black Holes can prevent light from escaping their surfaces. You've just said it yourself that light/the medium IS affected by gravity - but you're also supporting Gopher, saying that this can't happen around a Black Hole? Gravitational Lensing occurs because of just this mechanism, and we've observed that tens of times in the Universe.

As Zylark says, I'm starting to be at a loss to understand why this thread is here? Black Holes are real, planets don't shine in the visible spectrum unless there's something to make them hot enough to emit visible light. No plasma ball effect has ever been observed.

Also, we still don't have Gopher's reason for being emotive and calling Black Holes a 'hoax'? Not 'wrong' or 'innacurate', but a concerted effort on behalf of science to delude everyone? Argu science by all means, but it's silly to try and turn this into another consiparcy theory.

MelT